Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-03-04
THE FOLlIES OF MOURNING.
A Protest Against Funeral Extravaganza.
Notable Example.

The conventional period of the ''lying
in state" having expired then comes the
funeral. SO paten<ris the folly of ex-
travagant expenditure at funerals, and
so plainly is it condemned by common
sense that we need not consider that
point at any length. But it is impossible
to pass it by so long as people persist in
making the occurrence of death an occa-
sion for display. In truth, these funeral
pageants are inspired less 10y respect for
the dead than by a pucrile love or pomp
on the part of the living. On what other
ground can they be explained?
Funeral extravaganza is no mere mod
ern folly; on the contrary. it is hoar
with antiquity, and is endowed with
all the power and prestige of an imme-
mortal usage. Nevertheless, there is much
encouragement for its assalants. in the
continuous fire of protest evoked by the
practice, and in such noble examples as
that recently set by the family of the
late bishop of Ripon. The coffin of this
eminent churchman was borne to the
hcarse by the sons and other near rela-
tlves: only relatives and close associates
assembled at the house of mourning;
humble friends bore the coffin from the
hCarse to the church. and thence to the
grave. The grave was simply adorned
with flowers and ivy. and the whole
ceremony was characterized by an ex-
treme simplicity. ASIDE from the value
of such an example. as a protest against
the custom of holding costly funerals,
there is Il beautiful lesson taught by the
use of flowers at the bishops grave.
Here is another instance of fit and
dccorous funeral rites. The mother of a
family having died. the father must needs
initiate into the solemn mysteries Of death
and the resurrection his 5-year-old child.
Wisely he resolved that. whatever else his
teaching lacked. it should he full of Chris
tan cheerfulness His childs first ac-
quaintance with death should have no as
ISOLATION with gloom and terror, 50 that
the OUTGOING of life might seem as
natural to her as its incoming SO. in the
days intervening before the funeral the
household lie and work went on as
usual. No Hack raiment. no shutting
out of the bright sunbeam. no unnccCs-
sary change in any particular, was per-
mitted. And when the time came to
commit the body. beautiful in death, to
its last resting place, the sombcrness of
the grave was frightened by flowers fresh
pluclled from the home garden. so that
the place had no unwholesome terror for
the little one looking into it for the first
time with childish wonder.
The lessons conveyed by these two cere-
monies are just what modern society
sorcly needs t. learn. In the chaste sim
plicity of the one and the sweet serenity
of the other is conveyed an effective re-
proof of the senseless display usually
made at funerals. Such inspiring exam
pies may. perhaps, still be few and far
between but the very fact that there are
even now men with sufficient moral cour-
age to stem the tide of foolish custom
gives us ground for hope that the day is
not distant when enlightened common
sense and sincere grief shall rule. instead
of imperious fashion of immemorial
usage.-The Forum.